Improvement in apparatus for cleaning hulls of vessels



A H. J. COLE. Apparatus for Cleaning Hulls of Vessels No. 200,696.Patented Feb. 26,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HENRY JAMES COLE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING HULLS 0F VESSELS, dc.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 200,696, dated February26, 1878; application filed November 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY JAMES COLE, of Wandsworth Road, in the countyof Surrey, England, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus forCleansing the Hulls of .Vessels or other floating marine structures, ofwhich the following is a specification:

This invention relates to apparatus for removing barnacles, sea-weed,and other foreign adhering matter from the submerged portions of marinestructures, and especially vessels, being operated from the decks ofsame.

The invention consists, essentially, in two Vaucauson or ladder chains,provided with elastic attachments, and extended between an inboard-winch and a keel-blockl A rotary brush, mounted in a caster-ed carriageor frame, has toothed wheels, which engage the ladder chains, and, whenthe carriage is drawn up or down by means of ropes led to the winch, thechains cause the brush to rotat-e, all as will be hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my apparatus as in useon ship-board, the vessel being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the spring on the endof the chain. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the winch from inboard. Fig. 5 isan end view of the brush enlarged.

Let A represent a section of the vessels hull, upon the deck of which awinch, K, is mounted. The winch-frame has telescopic legs a a, whichpermit it to be adjusted to the height of the ships rail, under which itis made to fit snugly.

B B are ladder or Vaucauson chains. These are provided with coil-springsat their ends, and are attached at one end to a keel-block, N, and atthe other to a bar, D, which forms a part of a frame, G, which straddlesthe top rail of the vessel. The chains pass over wheels E E mounted upona shaft, F.

H is a lever, to cant the frame G inboard and put the necessary tensionupon the chains B B. The tension may be preserved by lashing or anyother well-known means.

The keel-block N rests against the keel, and may be hauled forward oraft, as required, by means of ropes or chains led fore and aft from it.It is kept in place by means of a rope, P, led to it from the oppositeside of the vessel.

The brush-frame L has legs 01 d, with rollers or casters 6 e on theirfeet, to roll against the hull. These rollers may, however, be omitted.

R is the brush, which may be constructed of any suitable material. Itrotates in the frame L in contact with the hull, and has toothed wheelson the extremities of its shaft, which engage a semi-wrap of the chainsB B.

A light rope or chain, J, is attached to the brush-frame, and leads overa carrier-pulley to the winch K. By this rope the brush is drawn up theside. A similar rope, M, attached to the frame leads over the pulleymounted on the keel block N, and passes thence to a winch on theopposite side of the vessel. By this rope the brush is drawn down, thetwo winches winding and unwinding simultaneously.

The chains B B being fixed, it is obvious that when the brush is drawnup and down it will be caused to rotate and clean off all matteradhering to the vessels side within its track. When one breadth iscleaned the apparatus may be moved along and the operation repeated.

The springs S on the extremities of the chains B B permit the brush totravel over the bilge or convex portions of the hull.

The brush may be of cane, bass, metal, or other suitable material,substantially as shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. TheVaucauson or ladder chains B B, provided with springs at one or bothextremities, in combination with the keel-block N and frame G, arrangedto straddle the top rail of the vessel, all constructed and arranged tooperate substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a rotating brush, R, mounted in a traveling frame,L, with ladderchains B B, fixed elastically at the ends, as set forth,and arranged to engage toothed wheels on the shaft of the brush, as andfor the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the winch K, ropes J M, chains B B, block N, frameG, and brush R, all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

HENRY JAMES ooLE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. BEEKLEY HARRIS, JOHN DEAN, Both of 17 Gracechm'ch Street, London.

